HouseH.R. 9046119th Congress
COVID-19 Military Mandate Transparency Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9046 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9046
To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on members of
the Armed Forces who separated from the Armed Forces due to the mandate
to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the transfer of education benefits
by such members, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 29, 2026
Mr. Barrett introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on members of
the Armed Forces who separated from the Armed Forces due to the mandate
to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the transfer of education benefits
by such members, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``COVID-19 Military Mandate
Transparency Act''.
SEC. 2. STUDY ON SEPARATION OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES DUE TO THE
MANDATE TO RECEIVE THE COVID-19 VACCINE AND THE TRANSFER
OF EDUCATION BENEFITS BY SUCH MEMBERS.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on
covered individuals and the transfer of education benefits by covered
individuals to covered dependents.
(b) Report.--
(1) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report containing the results
of the study required by subsection (a). Such report shall
include--
(A) the number of covered individuals;
(B) the number of covered individuals who initiated
a transfer of education benefits to a dependent in
accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States
Code, before separation;
(C) the number of covered individuals who initiated
such a transfer and did not complete the years of
service in the Armed Forces necessary for such
dependent to commence use of such education benefits in
accordance with such section before separation;
(D) the number of members of the Armed Forces who
were denied a religious exemption from the mandate to
receive the COVID-19 vaccine during the period
beginning on August 24, 2021, and ending on January 10,
2023;
(E) the number of covered individuals who were
denied such a religious exemption;
(F) the number of covered individuals who returned
to service in accordance with the terms of Executive
Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members
discharged under the military's COVID-19 vaccination
mandate);
(G) the number of covered individuals who returned
to service in accordance with the terms of Executive
Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members
discharged under the military's COVID-19 vaccination
mandate) who initiated a transfer of education benefits
to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title
38, United States Code, before separation and return to
service;
(H) the number of covered individuals who returned
to service in accordance with the terms of Executive
Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members
discharged under the military's COVID-19 vaccination
mandate) who initiated a transfer of education benefits
to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title
38, United States Code, before separation and return to
service and completed the years of service in the Armed
Forces necessary for such dependent to commence use of
such education benefits;
(I) the number of covered dependents;
(J) an analysis of the budgetary impact of allowing
each covered dependent to commence use of education
benefits that were transferred to such covered
dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38,
United States Code, without regard to whether the
covered individual who transferred such education
benefits to such covered dependent completed the years
of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such
covered dependent to commence such use; and
(K) any recommendations of the Secretary to address
the separation of covered individuals and to ensure
covered individuals receive appropriate benefits as
veterans of the Armed Forces.
(2) Disaggregation.--The Secretary of Defense shall
disaggregate the elements of the report required by paragraph
(1) that are described in subparagraphs (A) through (J) of such
paragraph by--
(A) Armed Force in which the covered individual
served;
(B) whether the covered individual served in an
active component or a reserve component;
(C) the grade of the covered individual;
(D) the years of service in the Armed Forces of the
covered individual at the time of separation; and
(E) the characterization of the discharge of the
covered individual.
(c) Public Availability.--Not later than 60 days after the
Secretary of Defense submits the report required by subsection (b), the
Secretary shall make such report publicly available on the internet
website of the Department of Defense.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered dependent.--The term ``covered dependent''
means a dependent of an individual who--
(A) is a covered individual;
(B) initiated a transfer of education benefits to
such dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title
38, United States Code; and
(C) did not complete the years of service in the
Armed Forces necessary for such dependent to commence
use of such benefits in accordance with such section.
(2) Covered individual.--The term ``covered individual''
means an individual who, during the period beginning on August
24, 2021, and ending on January 10, 2023, was involuntarily or
voluntarily separated from an Armed Force solely on the basis
of the refusal of such individual to receive a vaccination
against COVID-19.
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